Re: /srv/bzr/emacs/trunk r111840: Port documentation to Texinfo 5.0.

[Michael Albinus]

Eli Zaretskii <address@hidden> writes:

>> > I think the best way to fix this would be to introduce several macros,
>> > one each for every number of non-empty arguments, and then use each
>> > one as needed.  A bit less convenient, perhaps, but much more
>> > straightforward.
>> >
>> > The question is would Michael accept this solution.
>
>> Before changing this, I would like to check with texinfo 5 whether
>> it is still possible.
>
> What do you mean by "possible"?  That macro is the only reason of the
> error messages tramp.texi triggers from Texinfo 5.0.  The new makeinfo
> clearly does NOT support @set/@clear in the middle of text, and it
> also doesn't support the @c trick of removing the newline from the
> expansion of a macro.
>
> While it is possible that Texinfo 5.0.1 or some such will be augmented
> to support these tricks, it is IMO better to avoid them in the first
> place: that way, the manual will build correctly with any Texinfo
> version.  But it's your decision, eventually.

I have modified the macro and some of its calls(*) to be compatible with
Texinfo 5 (and also with Texinfo 4). There are still some warnings when
compiling with Texinfo 5, but the result looks fine.

Likely, I will go to the Texinfo ML and ask about the special problems
with the Tramp manual.

> Texinfo 5.0 is out, so if we release Emacs 24.3 with tramp.texi as it
> is now, people who have Texinfo 5.0 installed will be unable to
> rebuild the manual if they need to change it for some reason.  Not a
> catastrophe, obviously, but IMO not nice, either: this is, after all,
> Free Software.

I've installed it in the emacs-24 branch. I have compiled tramp.texi
with both Texinfo 4 and 5, and I have checked carefully the results. I
believe, the created info files are acceptable for both versions.

(*): The macro does not play well with @multitable and @item.

Best regards, Michael.